Guild Wars 2: How To Play For Free Next Weekend

Grab a friend and get ready to head back to Tyria! Next weekend (June 8-10) begins the long-awaited Guild Wars 2 Beta Weekend Event #2. It is the second 60-hour playfest open to pre-purchasers since the game went on sale on April 11. But if you haven't laid money down for the game yet, don't worry, you still have several options that will allow you to get in on the fun and see what all the fuss is about. As always, the game is available for pre-purchase at http://buy.guildwars2.com. ArenaNet's official site lets you pre-purchase the basic game in either boxed or digital download format for $60. Alternatively, you can get the Collector's Edition for $150 (which comes with a cool 10-inch Figurine of Rytlock, a 112-page Making of Guild Wars 2 book, the Best of Guild Wars 2 Soundtrack CD, an art portfolio and five art prints, a custom art frame, and several in-game bonus items), or the Digital Deluxe edition for $80 (which is a download-only purchase that comes with same in-game bonus items as the Collector's Edition, but none of the physical extras). Another option for those who must always find the best bargain is to purchase the game from Green Man Gaming, who has the basic digital edition available for $53.95 and the digital deluxe edition for $71.95. All of those who have pre-purchased the game by the start of the Beta Weekend Event (12:00 PM PDT on June 8) - whether you've purchased a physical or digital-only product - will be able to participate in the event. But make sure not to put it off too long! ArenaNet cut off pre-purchases for a time during the last Beta Weekend - stating that they were "sold out" - so that they could stabilize the server infrastructure. They may do such a thing again this time around. If you're not quite sold on the whole Guild Wars 2 phenomenon yet, and you're not ready to commit and pay full price for a game that hasn't been released, there remains another option for you. This time around, ArenaNet is giving out free beta keys through several of its partner sites. If you want to get in on the action - or if you have a friend that you're having a hard time convincing to join you in the greatest game of all time - you can try getting a key from PC Gamer. If that doesn't work out for you, be sure to keep your eyes on ArenaNet's Twitter feed and their Facebook page for more opportunities. Check back next week for our own reactions to the Beta.